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Nairobi Center Stories: Halima Gikandi, Columbia College

October 18, 2018

When I first stepped into the Columbia gates as an undergraduate in 2012, I had no clue what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I wanted a broad international education, and that’s what I got. From studying African and Middle Eastern history to doing an exchange program in Turkey, Columbia gave me a number of opportunities to explore the world and have critical cross-cultural conversations on campus. The core curriculum gave me a broad set of analysis and research skills that helped me get my first job in radio after graduating. While I certainly look back on those school years with some nostalgia, I’m happy to find there’s a strong Columbia community wherever I go. The Columbia Global Center in Nairobi has served as a great home base for me as a freelance producer and journalist. It also functions as a great academic hub, bringing together experts in different fields. Thank you CGC!

Through the Kraft Global Fellows Program, I was given the opportunity to travel to Tunisia on a research trip for ten days. I was passionate about participating in this program because I wanted to explore issues such as racial discrimination and multi-faith interconnectivity.